What Happens if I Move My Eye During LASIK Eye Surgery?

The fear of eye movement during LASIK surgery is a common concern among our patients here at Mandel Vision. The good news is, as with all things LASIK-related, we have you covered! Dr. Mandel will walk you through the procedure to let you know what’s happening and to be sure that you know what to do and where to look throughout the process. In addition, our state-of-the-art technology incorporates safeguards which ensure that eye movement isn’t an issue during the procedure. To be more specific, let’s break it down with regard to the two most critical parts of the surgery:

The IntraLase Femtosecond Laser Portion:

This is the part of the surgery in which the LASIK flap is created using the most advanced femtosecond laser technology. During this part of the surgery, which only takes about 30 seconds, a suction ring is placed on the eye prior to flap creation. This ring holds the eye in place so that movement of the eye is not possible.

The VISX Star S4 Excimer Laser Portion:

This is the part of the surgery which gently re-sculpts the cornea to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. After the flap is gently lifted, Dr. Mandel will dry the corneal bed underneath the flap and position you for your excimer laser treatment. The Star S4 excimer laser is now equipped with state-of-the-art 3D eye-tracking technology which tracks eye movements to ensure the laser treatment is centered. Here’s how:

Iris Registration is established during the wavefront-guided WaveScan WaveFront® measurement taken pre-surgery. During surgery, this measurement is then used to correctly align and center the laser treatment zone. Once the iris is ‘registered’, the laser locks onto the eye. At this point, ActiveTrak Automatic Centering technology locates and sets the treatment center in relation to the pupil center. Then, the laser treatment begins. Throughout the treatment, which is under a minute long for most patients, ActiveTrak 3-D Active Eye Tracking technology follows the eye’s motions. This captures more than 99.4% of eye movements.

In addition to this automated safeguard, Dr. Mandel has full control over the laser. Using a foot pedal, he can pause the procedure at any time to re-align your eye.

So, don’t let fear of eye movement during LASIK hold you back from this life-changing surgery. Still not convinced? Click here to view videos from actual Mandel Vision LASIK patients to hear how LASIK changed their lives for the better.